This might be a first for the University of Washington computer science department.
HERB, a famous robot also known as “Home Exploring Robot Butler” that is housed on campus at the UW, made an appearance during the new X-Files episode this week.
The truth is out there: Your favorite home exploring robot butler had a cameo in last night's episode of The X-Files, "Rm9sbG93ZXJz"
Sushi, anyone? ???https://t.co/oafZbp0CIk pic.twitter.com/nxc2IAkDbL— HERB (@HERB_UW) March 1, 2018
The episode explores a potentially disturbing future of artificial intelligence. HERB shows up toward the end as a waiter who demands that Fox Mulder and Dana Scully leave a tip at a robot-powered sushi restaurant.
HERB was first built at Carnegie Mellon University and moved to Seattle after robotics expert Siddhartha “Sidd” Srinivasa joined the University of Washington this fall after 18 years at CMU.
Srinivasa is a leader in robotic manipulation and human-robot interaction who founded CMU’s Personal Robotics Lab in 2005. He moved to Seattle this year along with his entire team of more than a dozen undergraduate and graduate researchers, becoming the latest renowned computer scientist to join the UW faculty.
HERB made headlines in 2013 after separating a cookie from the cream in a promotional video for Oreo.
